Verde by Ajmal

Puff, what a crazy perfume. The opening is galvanic, rough, and piercing. You can’t tell if it’s green or a wild creation by some Miguel Matos or Gualtieri. Then suddenly, loads of green. Hence the name. Personally, I’d have preferred it to go down the devil’s path, but for that, we already have Tom Ford Noir Anthracite. For the price, just for the collection and the gorgeous bottle, it’s worth it. Warning: it smells like an old man to women, so don’t expect compliments unless you’re the Fragrantica nerd. In short: it’ll blow you off your feet. Best for: personal enjoyment. Alternative: TF Noir Anthracite. Blind buy? Yes, for the ridiculous price, under $20.

Excellent quality-to-price ratio Arab perfume without the usual hype. I haven’t tried Tom Ford’s Noir Anthracite, but I have worn Narciso Rodriguez for Him and the classic 1978 Ralph Lauren Polo Green, and this Ajmal Green is like a mix of both. Watch out, this scent isn’t for everyone; you have to smell it first because it’ll turn many people off. It’s dark, herbal-style, without the overdone vetiver, repetitive smoky incense, or synthetic oud resins. It smells like damp forest grass, like northern Spain. I’m surprised teenagers and twenty-somethings like it. It’s for people with clear ideas and strong personalities, both men and women, though given its bitter green aura, I think it suits guys more. If you’re looking for compliments, check out MYSLF or an Aventus clone and leave me alone. Welcome to GREEN: bitter, ballsy, super-herbal, fresh as hell, and lasts a good while. It has ginger, lots of galbanum (my dad says it smells like the geraniums on the balcony), and a base of soft cedar and sandalwood woods, heavily diluted. That’s it. I don’t find the leather some claim; not suede, not macho. Those who say that haven’t smelled Tom Ford’s Ombré Leather or Acqua di Parma Leather, nor even a John Varvatos Dark Rebel or a Phillip Plein No Limits, and I suspect they’ve never had a biker leather jacket in their closet.

Leathery, earthy, smoky, herbal… Good sillage, longevity, and projection.

Discovery of the year! How can it cost less than $15? A jewel at jewelry prices. Fresh and acidic opening, green as its name suggests, like stepping into a wet forest; over time, we arrive at a dark place, fresh but woody, spicy, and smoky. It has the vibe of Noir Anthracite, but to me, it’s fresher, greener; it could remind me of one of Narciso Rodriguez’s, maybe Noir Blue or Blue Noir?, but this one in beast mode. I’ve read comments about an ashtray scent… I don’t know what they smoke, when I smoked Marlboros, my ashtrays didn’t smell like that, and now that I don’t smoke, I wouldn’t even get close to one. If you want a high-quality fragrance, outside the mass market, and personally masculine, you have to try it without excuses. If you’re a ‘fresh’, daring, different woman, it can be a very sexy fragrance too.